Lord’s Day 14
Q35. What does it mean that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary?
That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God, took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit, from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, a truly human nature so that he might become David's true descendant, like his brothers and sisters in every way except for sin.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 10:30–36
“I and Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?”
Romans 1:3
“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;”
Romans 9:5
“Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.”
Colossians 2:9
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Luke 1:35
“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Matthew 1:18–23
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just , and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
John 1:14
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Galatians 4:4
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.”
Hebrews 2:14
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
2 Samuel 7:12–16
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”
Psalm 132:11
“The LORD hath sworn truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.”
Luke 1:32
“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:”
Romans 1:3
“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;”
Philippians 2:7
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
Hebrews 2:17
“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
Hebrews 4:15
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 7:26–27
“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”
Modernized Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
This question addresses the deity of the Son of God, and it deserves careful consideration. Before proceeding, however, we should address an objection that arises naturally from the way the question is framed: whoever is the only begotten Son has no brothers; yet Christ does have brothers, since we too are sons of God; therefore He cannot be the only begotten Son of God. The answer lies in recognizing that Christ and we are sons of God in fundamentally different senses, a distinction that is essential to keep in mind throughout this discussion. Christ is the only begotten, natural, proper, and eternal Son of God; we, by contrast, are sons of God whom the Father has adopted by grace for Christ's sake.
To make this clear, we need to briefly explain who is called a son and in how many ways that title is used, and then consider who actually are the sons of God and who is called such.
They are called sons if they are either born as sons or adopted as such.